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If you have the bullseye you need to take Doxycycline. I've lived in Tennessee and have hiked, padded, hangglided, cave explored, camped, Backpacked, fished, hunted, explored and whatever since the 1970's and I never had a plan on dealing with Lyme. On my 2011 thru-hike I was bitten by an unseen tick. I got the bullseye and was diagnosed by a doctor and given the Doxycycline. I never developed or experienced any other issues. A friend in Nashville, a non-hiker, was also bitten. He also stated that he never saw the tick, only the bullseye. Same thing with another hiker on the AT. Lesson learned is that anyone is likely to be bitten whether they're hiking or not, and you don't need a plan to be bitten. It's totally an unfortunate bit of luck, but once you've been bitten and get the bullseye you need to be on Doxycycline. Most likely you'll never have and so called "contagious lymes" so be wary of anyone that talks about it. I will note that our former governor and current US Senate prospect was also bitten, but he apparently suffered some kind of chronic lyme disease issues. So whether you have a plan or not, you need to be aware of the disease and get proper care (Doxycycline) as soon as you see the bullseye and if so everything should be good.

I read all this about going to your doctor.
What doctor?
If I'm from Pennsylvania, and I see a tick on me in, let's say Vermont, am I supposed to go to PA right away?
Or try to get an appointment with one in VT?
I know I tried to go to a dermatologist last year for a possible skin cancer and they told me they had an opening in 4 months time.
Who is your doctor?
Where is he?
Does he give advice over the phone?
Sometimes I don't understand American medical practice.
I would think it would be a better idea to have clinics and if there is a tick problem in VT, have doctors handy who are well educated in the type of ticks they have in VT.
(Or, just carry the doxy like my brother's and friends (deer hunters) do. )

I read all this about going to your doctor.
What doctor?
If I'm from Pennsylvania, and I see a tick on me in, let's say Vermont, am I supposed to go to PA right away?
Or try to get an appointment with one in VT?
I know I tried to go to a dermatologist last year for a possible skin cancer and they told me they had an opening in 4 months time.
Who is your doctor?
Where is he?
Does he give advice over the phone?
Sometimes I don't understand American medical practice.
I would think it would be a better idea to have clinics and if there is a tick problem in VT, have doctors handy who are well educated in the type of ticks they have in VT.
(Or, just carry the doxy like my brother's and friends (deer hunters) do. )

Many areas now have facilities (often called urgent care or similar) that are somewhere between a regular doctor's office and an emergency room.

They generally work on a walk in basis, and can treat anything a regular general practitioner would, plus some thing they wouldn't (like doing stiches, casts for broken bones and other similar treatments).

If one was on the trail, that would be the type of place to look for - might not be right along the trail, but certainly easier to get to than your regular doctor (potentially) several states away.

I read all this about going to your doctor.
What doctor?
If I'm from Pennsylvania, and I see a tick on me in, let's say Vermont, am I supposed to go to PA right away?
Or try to get an appointment with one in VT?
I know I tried to go to a dermatologist last year for a possible skin cancer and they told me they had an opening in 4 months time.
Who is your doctor?
Where is he?
Does he give advice over the phone?
Sometimes I don't understand American medical practice.
I would think it would be a better idea to have clinics and if there is a tick problem in VT, have doctors handy who are well educated in the type of ticks they have in VT.
(Or, just carry the doxy like my brother's and friends (deer hunters) do. )

I carried Doxy all the way from GA until I got sick in MA. Called my Dr. and discussed my symptoms and he recommended I start taking the Doxy and called in a prescription for 28 days worth to the pharmacy in Dalton. When I got home I tested positive for Lyme.

For those that think Permethrin alone will prevent Lyme I treated all my clothes every month from VA in April until NH and still got Lyme. Never saw a tick, never saw a ring (erythema migrans).

I read all this about going to your doctor.
Sometimes I don't understand American medical practice.
I would think it would be a better idea to have clinics and if there is a tick problem in VT, have doctors handy who are well educated in the type of ticks they have in VT.
(Or, just carry the doxy like my brother's and friends (deer hunters) do. )

VT has walk-in clinics. They also have indoor plumbing and doctors who are able to read in VT. What a wondrous time we live in!